Tom was alone on the ranch when he got the news that his father
had died. He went inside and got out his dark suit. Then he lay
down facing the wall.

Part 2

Samuelís funeral in Salinas was large. Adam Trask attended the
graveside ceremony, but he would not go back to Olive Hamiltonís
house with the family after the funeral. Instead, he walked in the
rain to a bar and ordered a drink. The bartender told him that since
he was wet, he should have a hot rum to prevent his catching a
cold. Adam had several drinks. Then he asked the bartender about
Kateís place. The bartender told him to go to Jennyís and avoid
Kateís.

Part 3

Adam walked to Kateís place and entered. The woman who let him
in, named Eva, seemed like a predatory animal. He told her his
name and said he wanted to speak to Kate. Eva went to Kate and
told her about Adam. As Kate listened, she got out some white
powder and put it into two packets. She gave one packet to Eva
and told her to go upstairs and use it, and then come back down
and let Adam in her room. Kate also told Eva to tell the house
bouncer, Ralph, to listen for a call from her. He was to throw
Adam out on her command. After Adam was gone, Eva was to
come back to Kate and get the other packet of white powder. When
Eva left, Kate took out her revolver and readied it.

When Eva led Adam into Kateís room, she looked relaxed. Adam felt relief
when he saw Kate and her degenerated body, for he realized she was no
longer beautiful. He told her he had only heard recently that she was
in Salinas. He said he had not been able to forget her, but now he could.
Kate got out some liquor and offered him drink. At first he refused, not
trusting her. When she poured herself a drink, he also took one. When
Kate drank some of the liquor, she felt a frightening stirring inside
herself. Adam enjoyed seeing her struggle, feeling like he was punishing
her.

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Adam told Kate about Samuel Hamiltonís funeral. She said she
had hated Samuel and wanted to kill him because he had known
the truth about her. Adam smiled at her tension and asked why she
was so filled with hatred. Kate kept drinking until she finished the
bottle. As she drank, she explained that she was filled with
contempt, not hatred. She despised her parents, who pretended
goodness. She said she had made a man kill himself and had
laughed all night because he had wanted to have sex with her when
she was a little girl. She said there was nothing in the world but
evil and folly. When Adam protested this, she got out the pictures
she had been sorting earlier. They were of a senator, a councilman,
a professor, and a minister performing sadomasochistic sex acts.
She told Adam how she blackmailed the men with the threat of
exposure. Adam told her she was inhuman. She said she was
smarter than humans. Adam told her she hated the good in people
because she was so evil.

Kate said she planned to go away, buy a nice house, marry, and live
a respectable life. She also said she planned to find and kill the man
who had beaten her so badly before she came to Adamís house. Adam had
heard enough. He got up to go, but Kate tried to stop him. She told him
they could have sex. When he showed his repulsion, she became enraged.
He reminded her that she was still the mother of his sons. She then told
him that Charles was the father, not him. Adam, who did not believe her,
said it did not matter. Adam twisted away from her, and Kate screamed.
Ralph burst in the door and punched Adam, causing him to fall to the floor.
She told Ralph to use his boots on Adam, but he hesitated. Adam seized
the opportunity. He got up with difficulty and left the room smiling.
Kate sat at her desk staring at the door with desolate eyes.

Notes

The meeting between Adam and Kate is climatic. When Adam sees Kate,
he looks at her degenerate body and sees her for what she is. He is suddenly
no longer under her power. She recognizes this loss and is enraged by
it. She tries to tempt him back by offering to have sex with him, but
he is repulsed, which enrages her further. She strikes back by stating
that Charles, not Adam, is the father of the twins. Adam does not believe
her and refuses to be affected. When Kate screams, Ralph, the bouncer,
comes in and strikes Adam, sending him to the floor. Adam gathers his
wits, gets up with difficulty, and leaves with a smile on his face. It
has clearly been a battle of good versus evil, and Adam knows he has won
the fight. The reader, however, wonders what Kate will do to strike back.
As proven previously in the book, she will go to any means to have her
way.